CHURCH WORLD SERVICE: EMERGENCY RESPONSE PROGRAM
CWS SITUATION REPORT: INDONESIA EARTHQUAKE
May 27, 2006


SITUATION: Thousands have died in a powerful earthquake on the central 
Indonesian island of Java in the most serious disaster to hit Indonesia 
since the 2004 tsunami.

As many as 3,500 are believed dead - with the death toll still rising - 
from the magnitude-6.2 quake, which was centered near the ancient city 
of Yogyakarta, 250 miles east of the capital, Jakarta.

In a update today, CWS Indonesia reports that "remote places have not 
been visited as yet, increasing the fear that death toll might even go 
up more."

Local hospitals treating the wounded, CWS reports, are crowded with 
people: "Due to the number of the patients and the limited capacity of 
the hospitals, most of them (are being) treated in the hospitals' 
corridors and terraces; there is a great need of more medical staff and 
drugs as well as surgery equipment to treat the wounded patients."

The epicenter of the quake was a mere 50 miles south of the Mount Merapi 
volcano, where Church World Service and other aid agencies have 
responded to displacement caused by threats from the volcano. Though it 
was not known if the recent volcanic activity and the quake were linked, 
there are fears that the earthquake and its after-shocks could trigger a 
potentially large eruption.

Unfounded rumors of another tsumani caused hundreds to panic and flee to 
higher ground.

The hardest hit area of the quake was Bantul, where houses, hospitals 
and other buildings were flattened, the Associated Press (AP) news 
agency reported. Two-thirds of the fatalities occurred in Bantul, 
government officials said.


RESPONSE:

As part of an initial response, CWS:

:: Has provided 500 blankets to Bethesda Hospital, in Yogyakarta, which 
is receiving many of the injured. CWS is assessing immediate needs in 
Bantul, and preparing to begin the distribution of food and non-food 
items.

:: On Sunday (May 28), CWS plans to distribute 500 food packages (which 
include biscuits and noodles), as well as water, in districts of Bantul. 
Tents, blankets, CWS Health and Baby Kits, are also expected to be 
distributed as needed, in the coming days. The CWS office in Medan is 
preparing to send a number of Hygiene and Health Kits to the affected 
areas as soon as logistics are sorted out.  As well, CWS with its 
partner Norwegian Church Aid (NCA), will be assessing needs for 
provision of water and sanitation assistance.

:: Yakkum Emergency Unit (YEU), a CWS partner, is evacuating injured 
children to Tegalyoso hospital in Klaten, while another partner agency, 
Yayasan Tanggul Bencana, is providing staff to help coordinate the 
distribution of food and medicine. CWS and partner agencies in the 
Action by Churches Together (ACT) network are expected to issue an 
appeal outlining longer-range relief work in the coming days.


For further information about disasters to which Church World Service is 
responding please visit the Church World Service Website at 
www.churchworldservice.org or phone (800) 297-1516.

CWS Emergency Response Program special contacts: (212) 870-3151;

Program Director: donnajderr@churchworldservice.org
International: flumeya@churchworldservice.org
Domestic: lreedbrown@churchworldservice.org

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